AFRICAN PROTECTORATES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19374, 12 July 1937, Page 5

AFRICAN PROTECTORATES

QUESTION OF TRANSFER TIME NOT SPECIFIED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 10. The Dominions Secretary, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, questioned in the House of Commons regarding the complaint by General J. B. Hertzog, Prime Minister of South Africa, of delay in the transfer to the Union of South African Government of the Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland protectorates, said that there had been some misunderstanding. General Hertzog had agreed last year that there should be no understanding that the transfer of any of the territories should take place in any specified time, said Mr. MacDonald. General Hertzog had also agreed that any prediction as to time must necessarily be in the nature of conjecture. General Hertzog himself saw the instructions sent to the officials in the territories in pursuance of the 1935 agreement and there must, therefore, be a misunderstanding if General Hertzog now said there had been failure on the part of the British Government to carry out its undertaking. During General Hertzog’s recent visit to London, Mr. MacDonald agreed to consider what further steps were now practicable, and there was an understanding that General Hertzog and he should communicate with each other. The Government was determined to carry out the policy agreed on two years ago.